mlody

For me NAVI was always a very expensive gadget and a bragging feature – my driving is very simple point a to point b (work, school, friends). Besides the map feature, what useful features am I missing on my non-NAVI TL? I am still not convinced to buy NAVI just for mapping - it just does not make sense in my head.

bulacura

its, just something cool to have. if u ain't the type to drive to new places or into gadgets than i guess u don't need it. but u can locate stores and businesses, just by typin in the phone number, it tells u how many miles and minutes left to get to a destination. able to convert to dvd player. the NAVI speaks to you and tell u when to turn. great for road trips. it has categories to search for different types of restaurants, atm, banks, leisure, gas stations. etc..

just cool to have. worth my extra 2gs. TL's NAVI is prob the best around. think of it as 4 extra car payements

savageTL

Given the fact you don't have it I wouldn't ask the question, the answers may bring pain, it is like saying I paid XX,XXX for my car, did I get a good deal. First, I think Navi is the most overpriced option on most sub 50K cars, on the TL it is near 6% of the total price of the car... Bottom line for some people the "look" is worth 2K, for others who otherwise constantly use maps particularly if they live in big cities the 2K may be worth it as well. Also, it may aid resell price and speed on nicer cars, since more and more cars will have them at lower and lower price points. So someone in the used car market 3-4 years from now might pay a premium for a TL Navi or it may sell faster since it may become more of a "standard" feature like HIDs but will still be rather rare in used cars. All that said I will never own another car without Navi...mainly 'cause I am lonely and like someone to talk to me when I drive.

MichiganRich

bulacura, you've said that about as eloquently as I've ever heard it said. The Navi is one of my favorite most lasting options on the car. The touch screen is sooo nice.

My story?... spur of the moment, went off to a concert in Pontiac, MI about three hours from me. Essentially driving from the beach on the west side of Michigan to the water on the other side. I had no idea where I was going... I just typed the name of the parking garage for the festival into the car and the Navi talked me right into my farking parking spot. Pontiac is not a nice place to just be driving around aimlessly at night on the weekends, 'specially not in a TL. After the festival, streets all blocked off around town... effortlessly made my way out of town and back home. Pontiac is also very close to Detroit, and with all the ramps and highways and stuff, ramps flying past on the right and the left... it was SO much easier to get there when the car knew where to go. NO map will give you that. Think about it, along with all the other virtues of having the screen displaying info about the car and stuff. You can just take off somewhere and know where you're at.

tzakiel

I will never have another car without navi. I'd rather have a used Kia with navi than a nice new acura without it for my next car. It has been the best feature of my TL.

OK maybe not a used kia, but my point is i'd sacrifice some other things for navi if I had to, it's that good. For the task of actually driving places, navi is an important feature with lots of value.

Legend2TL

Don't have Navi on my TL and I don't regret the decision at all.

crxb

for me just one of those things u never thought u would use til u have it

now I use much like the other posts

put the address in and r off

across town or across the state

once u have one u will not want a car with out it

trancemission

meh.....just something else to brake IMO. Never needed it.

SouthernBoy

When I was in the market for my TL last summer (July, '04), I had a few exterior and interior colors open for interest, it had to have a manual transmission, and I did not want Nav.

The primary considerations were exterior and interior colors and the absolute must of a manual, and it boiled down to three Anthracite/Ebony/6MT cars on the lot.. but all of them were Nav.

So I went ahead and bought one with the logic that, while it was costing me around another 1830 dollars, I figured that at sell or trade in time, Nav would have become such a hot item, that I KNEW the issue of whether or not my car had this option would be raised. I just knew that it would command a higher price for my car at that time.

Within the first week of ownership, I actually found use for the Nav. And on my vacation, about 7 weeks after purchase, it proved very useful. I have since, over the last 14 months, used it numerous times to avoid traffic tie-ups, to trace different routes to and from work (yes, I certainly could have used a map, but I don't normally carry one with my when in my home area). I once again proved valuable on my vacation three weeks ago when I, while not paying attention to my travel, took the wrong exit. I did use a map to locate my position, and then the Nav to locate and use a shortcut back to the main road I had missed.

The Nav also has some other built in features, like voice recognition, and HVAC control (it will vary the settings when in Auto mode based upon the direction you're driving, the cabin temperater, and the time of day).

All in all, you will get your money back at sell or trade-in time and have the use of the tool along the way. Of course, you have already taken your decision and made you purchase, so this is more for those who are still in the deciding stage.

MR1

roflmao You win the best unique answer award. FWIW, I use my navi almost everyday. You would be surprised by how nice it is to know exactly where you are going and how to get there.

scrb09

The 2006 Civic now offers Navigation System as an option on their EX Models, that just shows how "standard" it will be in the next couple of years. There are plenty of things in the TL that might not be needed for some people but Nice to have...

My dealer told me last year when I bought the TL that they sell more cars with Navi then without it...

tzakiel

You also gotta remember it's not just maps... it's real-time guidance, and can use addresses, or you can intuitively click on the map anywhere to set that as a new destination, or you can even look up places by name like a phonebook, many many places are listed if you hunt a little.

It does a great job of re-calculating if you veer off course, and it also shows you gas stations, hotels, atms, post offices and restaurants which not only help you find a service, but serve as landmarks to even further help you realize the layout of the area you are in.

nYmALu86

I wish I would have gotten the navi because I do a lot of driving and I believe it can be veyr helpful for me, so I am trying to put in the navi. I hope someone can help me with this thread. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123807

hcekc

You may not need it now, but for us old guys just driving my son to birthday parties all over the Bay area can drive you nuts. Mapquest does a terrible job at directions and is wrong sometimes. You're young and probably won't really need it now since you drive to school, home and friends', but one day when you're going to job interview and get lost and then late to the interview, that's when you'lll realize that you should've gotten the NAVI.

trancemission

I have to admit when we get my wife an Acura it will have Navi. She is an appraiser and that would be a great tool to help her with her job. I just have no use for it. Much rather save the money.

JERU

Well, if you don't have it, you more than likely won't miss it, but here comes my points for having it in every future car:
1) Where ever you choose to go, the Navi gives you approximate time to arrival, which always seems to be within a few minutes. Helps with figuring out if you are late for work after that Dentist appt, etc.
2) In addition to looking up places, restuarants, etc, you also get the phone number which you can call with the touch of one button (via your bluetooth). No fumbling with paper and pen or cell phone.
3) The Detour button is too sweet. We get a lot of traffic in Pittsburgh, as soon as I get in a jam, I just tap the Detour button on the Nav and away I go off the next exit or light, the change in estimated time updates. Very useful for ETA for anyone waiting.
4) Calendar with reminder and to do list (Have no idea if Non-Navi has this).
5) Calculator- In case you need to keep track how much money you are spending on that blind date that you have nothing in common with..
6) Wow factor. Every person who looks at the car goes for the Nav first.
7) If you want a really good thread, don't ask people who didn't get it if they regret it. Ask people who got it, if they regret it. I think that will tell you alot more.

Legend2TL

IF Nav is important to you and didn't get it, some of the portable GPS/Nav units from Garman and others are pretty amazing. A friend is a FBI agent and the FBI get the latest offerings, they other some features not availble in OEM car Nav systems (ie planning a trip with route info from Mapquest/Google on your comupter and transfering it to a FLASH card which goes into the portable unit).

http://www.garmin.com/products/sp2720/

They may not be integrated into the vehicle, but at least you can move it from car to car (ie when you go on vacation and rent a car).

MR1

Appraiser here; great decision for your wife's car. You can enter up to five addresses and navi calculates the routing for you. When you get to the first one, a window opens and ask if you are ready for next destination. Huge time saver and it also stores the addresses in sequence so that you know where you have been. The navigation unit is part of what should be called an information system.

Adobeman

In fact I just told this exact phrase to someone today. My whole life is filled with so much technology and audio/visual stimuli that I love the idea that mt TL is a six speed, hell on wheels haven from all that chatter.

That sayed, the Navi on the TL is one of the best. I just didn't want it and never looked back.

trancemission

yeah sounds like you're making great use of it. I know my wife would love it. So far everytime she gets in my car she looks down at the radio as Im listening to the endless amount of trance beemed to me by satelite and says "you suck"......lol!

05TLTony

Always wanted navi b/c I'm the worst person with directions. That was my # 1 requirement when I bought my TL. I will never buy another without it. I travel alot when I pick up OT and boy does it make a difference compared to mapquest. I used to get lost with mapquest directions, but with the navi, it literally spoonfeeds me the information. It tell you when to turn and how far the distance. Also, I know alot of people with navi do not use voice command often, but I heard that it is only available with navi.

morninglight

non-navi is fine

MichiganRich

Hang on, voice control is only available with the navi?... I didn't realize that I guess. Doesn't that make the decision easier? People freak when they mess around with that, it sets the car apart from the crowd.

crazymjb

Worth it IMO. I am slightly confused as you say your ar still in school with a TL and RSX and you couldn't spring for the extra 2k navi?

SSMTL04

I don't have Navi and I think its fine for normal driving. It would be nice to have the Navi though, but I still love the car without it.

SouthernBoy

I certainly do use my Nav from time to time and when on vacation or a road trip, I also carry a U.S. road map. I find together, they compliment each other quite nicely.

The one thing I do use my Nav for most frequently is to see when a road is coming up.. I can better anticipate my moves/turns doing this. So in a way, one could make the argument that Nav is a safety feature.

Could I have gotten along without it? Absolutely. Would I make the purchase again WITH the Nav? Absolutely. It is a useful tool to have and as I wrote before, when it comes time to sell or trade the car, you can bet you will be asked if your TL has Nav.

R J Poseidon 6

Yes

fast-tl

Fine for what? You should tr yreading the rest of the thread.

fast-tl

The voice control has more features in the Navi model, but all TLs have some level of voice control.

fast-tl

I don't get it..NORMAL driving? What type of driving do we NAVI owners do if not NORMAL driving?

As I always tell those who ask: the TL is a altogether different car with NAVI vs. without.

I use NAVI just about every drive, even when I know where I'm going By that I mean on a routine trip I may not map a route, but I will bring up the live map that shows the car's path. Zoomed in a bit I can get to learn which streets intersect and are close to the path I'm following. I haven't been down every street in Dallas, but with the Navi, as I'm passing a neighborhood I can see "oh that street runs into so-and-so" or "glad I didn't turn in there...it's a dead end. Or, "cool, there's a pond and park over there." How many people will pull out a map in their living room and say: "ahhh, let me get to know my surroundings." With Navi in my car, it's automatic multitasking.

Some of the stuff Ive heard on here is excuses:
"too much technology" (then get a Hyundai and spare yourself TCS, VSA, XM, climate control, etc.),
"something else to brake" ( then get a car with roll-up windows, manual seats, manual transmission, manual locks, I mean *really*)
"non-navi is fine for normal driving" (so is a Kia; what's your point?)
"costs too much" (versus whose Nav system? Resale increases PLUS you get use of it while you own the car. Besides, Acura's already a value leader so you get bang for the buck.)

I'm not saying you're doomed if you bought without, but perhaps you'll do better research on your next purhcase, as Nav will soon be as ever-present as radio. Heck it's available in the Mazda3 and new Civic, and people are whining about the cost in an ACURA? C'mon people. The best analogy was at the beginning of the thread: Think of it as four extra payments, PLUS you get the benefit of using the display to pick out twisty roads to drive.

mlody

It is not that easy to find what you really want on the used car market - especially low mileage – when I was looking for my car – for few months not a single certified 6 speed m/t TL in 250 miles radius was available. I did not want to buy a car off the eBay or newspaper. My priorities where 6 m/t and a nice color combination – if the NAVI was part of the deal, I would not mind it, but I did not shop for a car just to get NAVI.

Once we both finish schools and get a new place to live (with a garage), and be again in the market for new cars (in like 10 years), we will order exactly what we want and this time, I will definitely go for NAVI (I do not think I will be able to buy a car without it in 10 years wow), but before I think I need NAVI I want my dream come true and get used Honda S2000 for summer/weekend. That $2000 saved will definitely help me get my dream car sooner.

It is really good to know that NAVI does not offer a lot besides a fancy map, calculator, address book (my PDA is good for that) and few information gadgets.
Still love and enjoy the car. Thanks for any input.

Legend2TL

It all comes down to one's preference for having Navi or not. The Acura/Honda Navi is a great system.

But some folks in this thread like me didn't feel the $2K is justified for something they would very rarely use (I've lived in the same area for most of my life). Systems like TCS, VSA, XM, climate control I'm glad are there since I glad the XM and climate control I always use, and the TCS, VSA and all the safety stuff is there in case you need it. If I travelled in the cities more or was in career where I travelled alot (sales) then I would have definitely gotten it.

Similar to OEM DVD entertainment systems, we have in our Honda Pilot and it gets used whenever my kids are in the car. It was a good investment, I know there are aftermarket systems but I prefered something that was integrated in the vehicle same as Navi. But at the same time I don't expect everyone who buys a Honda Pilot to get it also.

Dr.Murdock

i got a non-navi TL and i highly regret it. the 2k or whatever extra it was (and the wait time) would def be worth it. The nav couldve came in handy so many times. Now i have my friends navigating me to go to places(im not good with directions, even if i print them on-line). Wish i had gotten the navi....

crazymjb

If the TL didnt offer navi I wouldnt have chose it as the first luxery(im sorry bimmer ppl, "near luxery") car for my parents to get.

BWSmith201

I have the navigation and I like it a lot- but I travel a great deal to places I haven't been before, all over the country- so I use it a great deal. If I just drove to the same places over and over again I probably wouldn't miss it- it really depends entirely on what you use your car for.

For me, it was definetely worth the 2 grand, I'd probably have paid more for it...

But if you don't need it or wouldn't use it, it really isn't worth getting just for the sake of having it...

My thought would be this: you'd know if you were missing it. If you don't think you're missing it, you aren't. I know I would if I didn't have it...

fast-tl

Another thing I do hear often is "I've lived in the same place forever." Well, I've lived in Dallas for all but four years, and I haven't nearly memorized all the streets in this huge city. As I mentioned, lots of times Navi helps not not my routing my current destination, but by being able to view real-time all the streets *surrounding* my current route. As I drive down a street I can see "into" neighborhoods to the left and right as I pass. It's a benefit as well.

Assuming you went in and paid list price, the $2000 would cost approximately $35 per month over 5 years, $42 over 4 years. I can't see NOT getting it at that price point. Given that NONE of us paid list price for the car, the NAvi system would've cost even less per month.

MR1

First off, some did pay list price for their cars. Also, it is perfectly OK for people to decide that they don't want/need navigation and still want a TL. The great thing is that it's an OPTION. Anyone that doesn't care for it doesn't have to have it.

The thread starter decided, after reading all of the post that it's just a fancy map . I can accept that if those are his feelings. TO each his own. I'm glad the I spent the money.

93SHOcar

The only voice control function on non-nav models is the blue tooth HFL. All other voice control functions (climate, sound system, etc) are only on navi models.

pzero23

Navi is great to have but the price is high. Japan has navi built into there mobile phones just wait til it hits the U.S. everyone will have navi then.

fast-tl

OK. Are we in disagreement?